Travel China and Beyond

The World is Becoming a really small place; Travel in Seoul

On a recent business trip to South Korea, I had an interesting experience. But first let’s set the stage. Once immigration and customs are cleared, the next task ahead of a business or pleasure traveler is getting to their destination in the city they are visiting. If you are traveling to Seoul, South Korea, most likely you will arrive at Incheon International Airport. The airport is a long way away from downtown Seoul so you need to figure out a way to get there. There are several options:

* Taxi — very expensive: as the city is a good one hour drive away, be prepared for a fare of about US$80-100
* Shuttle bus — I will cover this one below
* Your friends’ or colleagues’ help — this of course is the most pleasant, but not very convenient for your friends or colleagues.

So, if your choice is the shuttle bus, you can get on those immediately as you exit from the arrivals hall. The buses are operated by Korean Air and are very comfortable and clean. The fare into the city is in the range of US$12-$20 based on your final destination. You can buy tickets directly at the curb where the buses stop. Once you exit the arrivals hall you will see short (about 1.5meter / 4-5feet) free standing blue signs that list in Korean and English various destinations. You have to find the one that lists yours and on top of the sign you will see the frequency of the buses arrival. The sign will show, for example, that the bus to a given destination comes on the 15th minute, and 40th minute of each hour. This time around I boarded the bus to Lotte World Hotel and was greeted by a driver that spoke English. Not speaking Korean, I really appreciate it when people in Korea help you in English. The driver continued talking with me and asking where I was from, etc. Then one of the other people boarding the bus spoke in Chinese, to which the driver, completely unfazed, responded in Mandarin! Turns out he was originally from Beijing. His parents still lived there. After he found out that I spoke Mandarin as well, he was thrilled and we chatted for some time more. Then he had to give a welcome message to all passengers on-board the bus, and he proceeded to do so in Korean, English, and Mandarin Chinese! What a guy! Anyone who has traveled to places where the local language is unfamiliar to them would appreciate the effort made by people like this shuttle bus driver in Korea. Now, why do I say the world is becoming smaller? This is not a new revelation for many people - but my experience in Seoul is yet another example of this trend — a tri-lingual, native Chinese bus working in South Korea whose parents are still living in Beijing…

There are many more examples of how people are moving around the globe. Today it is not unusual to come across various ethnic groups living and working very far away from their original home. You find companies competing for global talent and marketing products to a diverse global population. So, welcome to the crazy 21st century. Who knows, in another 10-20 years, with increasing globalization, information flow, investments and capital flow, the world may become even more accessible and we will see even more opportunities for those who want to travel and work in far away places on the planet to do so with less red tape and fewer barriers. Enjoy your travels!